


ABC Drabbles: Espilver

by MatureFicsOnly



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: ABC's of Espilver, Alphabet Challenge, Caution: Some oneshots have suggestive themes, Drabbles, Human AU at Letter I, I defy my username just once for the sake of this fic, M/M, Prepare to cringe at my atrocious writing., Romance, inspiration doesn't come quick these days, otherwise there's no detailed lemon here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-11-11
Packaged: 2020-07-27 23:37:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 15,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20054419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatureFicsOnly/pseuds/MatureFicsOnly
Summary: As promised, I present to you the alphabet challenge featuring Espilver.  It's not complete but it will be.  I wouldn't say I'm terrible at summaries but to summarise 26 drabbles in one... all I can say is:It's no use. These two are adorkable together.That is all. Happy reading!





	1. Altruism

**Author's Note:**

> A is short but prepare for slightly longer chapters.

* * *

**A – Altruistic**

* * *

Whenever Silver contributes to saving the world, his self is the last thing on his mind. He never achieved his goals to make himself feel better, nor did he do it at the expense of someone else’s praise, but because it was the right thing to do.

It’s little things like these that almost makes Espio swoon.

Almost.


	2. Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ironically, Silver doesn't know what a bed really means. Just when Espio thought things couldn't get more awkward between them.

* * *

> **B – Bed**
> 
> * * *

During the resistance, it was a slow evening, and Silver had been sleep-deprived throughout the week. Seeing this as a concern for his health and safety, Espio took the initiative to make him go to sleep while the night was still calm.

“Go to bed, Silver. You’ve done enough for today,” commanded the ninja.

Silver tilted his head curiously, “What’s a “bed”?”

Espio blinked back incredulously, “Are you messing with me?”

“No, I really don’t know what that is. Is it some kind of special chamber that renews my energy?”

“It’s something you sleep on,” rephrased Espio.

“Like the grass? Or the sofa? Or a branch on the tree?”

“Well, yes, but it’s more comfortable and--- okay seriously, have you not slept on a bed in your future before!?”

“I don’t think so,” Silver answered, “I mean whenever the future is fine, I discover things. But I guess before I could discover what a “bed” was, my world started to crumble again.”

Espio sighed, “Of course you don’t know what a bed is since I’ve never seen you sleep.”

“Justice never sleeps.”

“It doesn’t, but you need it so go to your room! I’ll be in charge tonight,” Espio snapped as he pushed Silver, who stood still, to his room. Once they reached Silver’s room, the hedgehog quickly turned around before Espio could leave.

“Are you sure you can—”

“Yes I can. Now please rest.”

“Okay…” Silver rubbed his eyes and yawned. Then he glanced at the bed in his room and looked back at Espio, “Hey, can I ask you one last question?”

Espio didn’t look back, but responded, “What is it?”

“This “bed” looks too big for one person. Do you wanna sleep with me?” he asked innocently.

The chameleon’s cheeks formed a reddish hue and he turned around to close the door in Silver’s face. “No!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RIP Silver.


	3. Car

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Vector briefly visits the Chaotix Detective Agency as a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains Team Sonic Racing references and minor spoilers.

* * *

**C – Car**

* * *

“Guess who’s back, boys!” Vector roared through the now broken door of the Chaotix Detective Agency.

“Dammit, Vector, we just had that thing fixed!” Espio snapped.

“Well guess what, ‘cause we don’t need that anymore,” Vector announced, “thanks to Sonic’s charitable heroism, he offered to give us a portion of the prize cash in order to improve our facility!”

“I hope he didn’t give that to you out of pity,” Espio deadpanned.

“Or did you have to beg to get it,” Charmy added.

“Nope, we offered to step in,” Silver interjected alongside Blaze, leaving Charmy and Espio shocked.

“You… you helped us!?” Charmy squealed.

“We should say the same to you,” Blaze chuckled.

“If it wasn’t for Espio’s findings on Dodon Pa, then we’d still be accusing him of being a villain working with Eggman!” Silver added, “It’s the least we can do for you, Espio.”

The chameleon blushed at Silver’s remark, then Charmy ruined the moment.

“Hey, don’t I get a say in this?” asked the antsy bee.

“O-Of course, Charmy! The credit for the investigation goes out to the entire Chaotix Detective Agency,” Silver explained.

“It would have been interesting to see you two watch us race though,” Blaze added.

“I appreciate the sentiments, Blaze, but we were on a mission to investigate after all. Once Charmy and I figured out Dodon Pa’s identity, Vector ordered us to look after the agency,” Espio explained.

“Because Vector is a boring, old, cheapskate!” Charmy teased.

“Hey, we were running low on funds, Charmy!” Vector snapped, then took a deep breath, “but as your reward, how would you like to watch us race at Wisp Circuit. Four front row seats, courtesy of Silver, Blaze, and yours truly!”

“Whoa, really!?” Charmy shouted.

“Hold up, who are the other two guests?” Espio asked

“Pfft, Cream and Vanilla of course!” Vector answered.

Espio rolled his eyes, “Typical.”

“Plus I want Cream to be there. She’ll get to watch me and Cheese race together,” Blaze added.

“This is so exciting! Dibs on Vector’s car!” Charmy exclaimed before zooming out of the broken entrance.

“Hey! You’re too young to drive!” Vector yelled.

“We better get back to the races, Silver. Care to join us, Espio?” Blaze asked.

“With pleasure. I mean, Dodon Pa initially invited me but I refused so I let Vector take my place,” confessed the chameleon.

“Aw, well you could’ve been on our team. Don’t tell your boss but I actually favour you more,” Blaze whispered.

Espio smiled, “I, too, would have liked being on your team.”

“You can ride with me, Es! Normally I’m no hubris but my car rocks,” Silver said with excitement.

“It only looks the part,” Blaze teased.

“Least I can drive on any terrain,” Silver retorted playfully.

“It doesn’t help for us now does it?” Blaze giggled. “Last one to the Circuit gives all the Wisps!” With that, she started her car and drove off.

“Oh no you don’t! Come on, Es, let’s beat her to it,” said the eager hedgehog as he hopped onto his seat.

“Silver, this car’s only fit for one,” Espio commented.

“That’s easy, just sit on my lap!” Silver suggested.

Espio felt his heart pounding, “W-Wha—Hey!” Before he could continue, Silver grabbed him using his ESP until he sat over Silver’s thighs.

“Sorry, Es, but I won’t take “no” for an answer,” huffed Silver.

“I never said I’d refuse,” Espio muttered shyly, “But what if everyone sees us like this?”

“Easy, just turn invisible!”

In a heartbeat, Espio slapped his own face, “Dammit, Silver, you make me sound like an idiot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some Reader: Can they kiss now?  
Nope. Not yet.


	4. Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That moment when you're so lost in you're partner's eyes you forget you're an introvert and do cheesy things with them in front of everyone. 
> 
> I never experienced that. XD  
But these two did.
> 
> Warning: Song lyrics are displayed. Nobody's singing in this chapter... this story is cringey enough.

* * *

**D – Date**

* * *

Espio remembers this particular date with Silver all too clearly: it was so awkward he wished he never existed that night. It was a Friday and Silver offered to drag Espio to a bar. It was affordable and it had decent reviews. There were a few guests, either sharing mixed conversations at the bar table or freestyling on the dance floor. Their relationship remained subtle and neither showed any sign of affection during their meal. There were small conversations that came and went such as,

“So, how’s the agency going?”

“Fine, how’s the future?”

“Boring.”

“Did you see Blaze this week?”

“No, she said she has somewhere to be with someone else.”

“Who?”

“Dunno.” 

And they continued eating. Once they were finished, Silver twiddled his fingers and bit his lip before slowly meeting Espio’s eyes.

“A-Are you having a good time?” asked the hedgehog.

“It’s quite peaceful despite the music, so yes I guess you could say that,” Espio answered. The frown on his face wasn’t all that convincing to his lover.

“S-sorry, despite the past dates we had, I’m still new to this. I wish I knew more about what subtle dates were like. I tried asking my friends, but I had no luck. I looked at books from the library and the words didn’t make any sense. Not even the most basic love advice on the internet had me convinced!” cried Silver.

Espio raised an eye ridge in shock, “Why’s that? Wait, you went through all that trouble for me?”

“Yes!” said Silver, “I know you want our relationship to be subtle, but I can’t seem to find the right advice to keep it subtle during a date while everyone’s watching. I mean, I couldn’t care less about what everyone else thinks of us because it’s none of our business! But I want to make you happy. All our previous dates had some similarity because we pretended we didn’t love each other. I wanted to make tonight different.”

“Silver,” Espio sighed, “it’s sweet of you to think about what I want, but I want you to do what you want. _You_ asked _me_ out, so _you_ get to do whatever _you_ want. I mean, I’m yours, aren’t I?”

His warm smile was all the reassurance Silver needed. The hedgehog rose to his feet and took his lover’s hand. “Will you… will you dance with me?”

“W-what?”

“You said whatever I want.”

“I-I-“ Espio stammered. Now he wished he hadn’t said that. There were still other species lounging and dancing about. It was too late to go back on his word. He felt Silver’s excitement, and his tense body relaxed, knowing he can trust Silver’s decision. “I’d be honored.”

Coincidentally, a romantic song most appropriate for slow dancing began to play. Silver guided his lover to the dance floor, ignoring the crowd in sight.

“Just look at me and no one else,” he said softly as the song began.

_You're in my arms___  
And all the world is calm  
The music playing on for only two  
So close together  
And when I'm with you  
So close to feeling alive

Espio looked down for a moment. His body shook in fear and embarrassment, but Silver eased this by pulling him closer. Their heartbeats met, and Silver patiently waited for his lover’s signal. Espio felt overheated. Such a gesture was a secret yearning which he refused to admit; it was as if Silver read his mind. He mustered up his courage to return Silver’s gaze and nodded shyly.

_A life goes by_   
_ Romantic dreams must die_   
_ So I bid my goodbye_   
_ And never knew_

The first few steps were awkward and sloppy, with Espio accidentally stumbling against Silver and stepping on his foot. When he found the right rhythm to synchronize with his steps, the chameleon maintained his focus on it, allowing his introverted thoughts of insecurity to drift away. They channelled their inner waltzing skills, even using his leaf swirl manoeuvre in a graceful and lightweight manner, that is whenever Silver would twirl him around. Despite constantly saving the world, Silver learned how to dance with dignity thanks to his best friend, Blaze, and remembered it since. 

_So close, was waiting___  
Waiting here with you  
And now, forever, I know  
All that I wanted  
To hold you so close

_So close to reaching___  
That famous happy end  
Almost believing   
This one's not pretend

It Silver loved his laughter and would do anything to trigger it. Even their laughter was in synch and the crowd was in awe. 

__  
And now you're beside me  
And look how far we've come  
So far we are, so close

Their dance escalated during the instrumentals, literally through Silver’s ESP, and Espio was swept off his feet. The chameleon chuckled in amazement, which Silver loved. No matter how many times it was aforementioned, Silver loves Espio’s laughter, and would do anything to trigger it. 

Eventually when the song closed in on the bridge, the couple made a gentle descent. When Espio felt tempted to look at the crowd, he resisted by looking at his feet before meeting Silver’s eyes again. Despite temporarily forgetting about the crowd’s thoughts, he was aware they were in a public venue. Silver felt Espio’s hand shake above his and gripped it tight.

“Espio?”

The chameleon lifted his head.

“I love you.”

_Oh how could I face the faceless days_

“S-Silver… I-” Espio stuttered. Something about Silver’s endearing smile made Espio want to run, but at the same time, it wanted him to close the gap between them.

_If I should lose you now_

“…love you too….”

When the final chorus began, they had one last round of waltzing on the dance floor. Unknown to them, the floor was all theirs. 

_We're so close to reaching___  
That famous happy end  
Almost believing  
This one's not pretend

Espio had completely ignored everyone but the hedgehog dancing before him. He shared some fits of laughter whenever Silver would whirl him around or giggle with excitement. The hedgehog found it hard to believe seeing this new side of Espio, as if his expectations were finally coming to life! 

_Let's go on dreaming___  
For we know we are  
So close

Before they could kiss, they were interrupted by the background squealing from the crowd. Espio instantly remembered they were surrounded by company and his color drained. 

_...so close..._

No, literally, he turned invisible—

_And still..._

-and dragged a startled Silver out of the bar. 

_...so far..._

Once they were finally alone in the forest, Espio leaned his hand against a nearby tree and took deep breaths. Silver’s face grew with worry.

“Espio?”

“I can’t believe we just did that.”

“Are you okay?”

“I can’t believe I said all that – in front of everyone!”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“Yes! I mean, no! I mean… ugh, I don’t know anymore.”

Disheartened, Silver closed his eyes to prevent his tears and turned around to leave. He failed, again, he thought. Espio felt his dejection and his heart raced when he stammered.

“S-Silver…”

The hedgehog stopped, but didn’t turn to face him, “What? I’m just an embarrassment to you, right?” Silver then flinched when he felt his lover’s chest between his back spikes. 

“That’s not what I meant,” Espio quickly answered, “I did have a good time… I just wish I reacted better. I don’t know what I’ve done to make you treat me this way, but I want you to know that I’m way more than grateful than you think. I’m sorry for making you see it differently.”

“I,” Silver paused to face Espio, with tears stinging in his eyes, “I just wanted to make you happy. And I thought that by doing something that makes me happy will make us both happy. I-I guess that’s one reason why I don’t like thinking about what I want.”

Espio felt guilty. He did not realize the extent to which this affected Silver. His hands pulled Silver’s cheeks and he kissed his tears away. “Trust me, Silver, learning to think for yourself is something I deeply respect. I don’t want you to rely on me all the time, it’s the same as me trying not to be in denial with you all the time. Promise me you’ll learn to treat yourself better, Silver. And I promise to be more open with you.”

“You’re not going to pretend for my sake, are you?” Silver asked.

“Why should I? I trust you. I mean, my eyes and thoughts were on you throughout our dance until the crowd intervened,” Espio recalled.

“R-Really?” Silver asked with hope gleaming in his eyes.

“What can I say? Your dancing is as good as your combat.”

“Likewise,” Silver chuckled before sealing their lips together. It was a brief moment, but it lasted longer than that for them. They remained in their arms after that, savouring their heartbeats and the silence around them. Once they released each other, their hands intertwined and walked east back to the detective agency.

“So, you think Vector and Charmy won’t mind if I held your hand in front of them?” Silver asked along the way.

Espio chuckled, “I stopped caring about what they think. I’m used to them.”

“What if we kissed?”

“Charmy will gag and Vector will tease me to no end, but I’ve got my own blackmail against him.”

“Did you enjoy our date?”

“As much as I wished everyone forgot we existed in that bar, I enjoyed everything else.”

“What did you love the most? The food? Our dancing? Running away from those supervisors?” Silver laughed in hopes of cheering up his friend.

Espio smiled, his blush growing visible in the moonlight, and answered,

“You.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song: So Close (c) Jon McLaughlin 
> 
> It's a beautiful song... and it kinda foreshadowed the entire chapter.   
Stay tuned for more!


	5. Emerald

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow and Blaze search for their respective Emeralds. Luckily, Silver and Espio have a good (and obvious) lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains Shadaze!

* * *

**E – Emerald**

* * *

It was rare of Shadow and Blaze to go on missions together, but seeing how they get along should grant them a better outcome of finding what they’re looking for.

“Remind me why I’m going with you again, Shadow?”

“Because your fourth Sol Emerald is missing, just like my damned fourth Chaos Emerald and we’re finding them together.”

“If the rest of my Sol Emeralds scatter across my dimension, I will never forgive you this time, Shadow.”

“No need to be so sheltered, Princess, those Sol Emeralds aren’t going anywhere,” huffed the ebony hedgehog.

Blaze felt her cheeks get warm, “Do _not_ call me that!”

“What? “Princess”?” he teased back.

“Ugh! That’s it, I don’t need you! You find your emerald, and I’ll find mine. Goodbye—Ouch!” Blaze exclaimed. Apparently, her eyes were on Shadow’s as she left his side, and hit someone else as a result. When she looked up to see who it was, she noticed it was her best friend, Silver.

“Silver?” Blaze asked, “What are you doing here?”

The geeky hedgehog scratched his head, “Huh? Oh, we, uh—”

“Who the hell is “we”?” Shadow interjected. Not long after, Espio stepped in with an emerald in his hand.

“Sorry, he’s with me. We were hoping to return this emerald to its rightful owner. Apparently it looks nothing like a Chaos Emerald,” explained Espio.

“Hey, that’s mine!” Blaze cried as she snatched the emerald from the chameleon. “Oh, thank you! I owe you two bigtime.”

“Don’t worry about it,” said Espio.

“It’s the least we can do, buddy!” Silver added.

“Oh come on!” Shadow snapped, “Blaze gets her Sol Emerald right away, while I have to bust my ass trying to find that damn fourth chaos emerald for **YEARS**!? Screw my life!”

“Shadow, if I may,” Espio interjected, “I might happen to know who stole your Emerald.”

“What!? Who?”

In a split second, the four flinched at the sudden passing of the Doctor’s Egg Mobile. 

“Any sign of the Sol Emerald? It took a miracle for me to get it and I will not rest until one of you imbeciles find it for me!” they heard Eggman scream.

“Certainly, boss,” said Orbot.

“Luckily this Emerald won’t slip through our fingers this time!” added Cubot, who held a familiar Chaos Emerald in his cold, metal hand.

“Doctor… how shocking,” Shadow growled while cracking his knuckles. He turned to Blaze sternly, but smiled proudly, “Keep your Emeralds safe. I’ll take on the Doctor myself.”

Before the agent could leave, Blaze took his hand, “Shadow, wait.”

To Silver and Espio’s surprise, Shadow actually listened. The pyrokinetic turned to Silver and placed her Sol Emerald in his hand.

“Blaze?” Silver asked.

“Can you keep this safe for me until I get back? I trust you, Silver, and I know you never let me down.”

“Um, sure Blaze, but… why?”

“Because,” she turned to Shadow, “I’m going to help you retrieve what’s yours.”

To make Silver and Espio’s day even weirder, they could have sworn they saw Shadow… blushing? The dark hedgehog looked away, “Hmph, why do you care anyway? Five minutes ago, you wouldn’t stop complaining about me being with you.”

“I-I was so frustrated about my Sol Emerald, I-I never realized how losing your Chaos Emerald made you feel. I-I know you didn't want me to go through what you went through, which was why you asked me to come with you--"

"Wait, wha--!" Silver shouted, but was interrupted by Espio's hand on his lips.

"But I made up my mind: I want to help,” Blaze admitted. 

Shadow didn’t say a word, instead he closed the distance between them. Before he could do anything, he realized they weren’t alone, so he turned back and spoke, “We should get going.”

Blaze nodded, placed her serious face on, and followed him until they both disappeared from Silver and Espio’s sight. They stood there, confused.

“What just happened?” Silver deadpanned.

Espio hissed, “Whatever that was, it was excruciating to watch.”

Silver rolled his eyes, “Kind of like you sometimes.”

His lover responded with a punch on the arm.

“A-anyway,” Silver chuckled, “We should find somewhere safe to keep this Emerald until Blaze gets back.”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Espio mumbled to himself.

“I have an idea, let’s go to your place, Es!”

“…I spoke too soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Silver, you idiot. (Don't worry, he's joking)


	6. First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A series of oneshots inside a oneshot? Whoa, that's a first.  
Speaking of which, that's the next challenge right there!
> 
> Happy reading!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one heck of a roller coaster chapter of first-time experiences. My cringey writing style is not a first here, folks.  
This chapter also contains implied suggestive scenes so proceed with caution. The rating stays the same though.

* * *

**F – First**

* * *

Like some couples, there was a first time for everything with Silver and Espio. 

Their first date was actually their second mission as a duo. About a month after the resistance’s disbandment, Espio was sent by Vector to assist Silver in an investigation about Infinite’s whereabouts. They confessed their feelings prior to the investigation, and everything started out smoothly. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to uncover any leads about Infinite, because their trip was cut short by a group of mercenaries. They were caught as spies when they figured out their hideout and set out to capture them in an attempt to impede their evasion. Espio and Silver managed to outrun them and hide. It was spring, and Espio did not take kindly to the occasional pollen that struck his olfactory senses. When Silver noticed Espio’s sharp gasp, he quickly and quietly pushed him down until his chest covered Espio’s face. And he sneezed right there – it was soft, and somewhat of a squeak, but a mercenary noticed a ruffling in the bush they hid in. When he slowly inched forward, Silver spotted a bush ahead of him and made it ruffle with his ESP. Like a fool, the mercenary caught sight of it and rushed in the opposite direction, allowing Silver to hover-boost himself and Espio away from the enemy’s territory. It was so fast, no mercenary caught its direction. When they returned, Silver gently dropped Espio on his feet and laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Espio asked, “We couldn’t find Infinite, we attracted a group of mercenaries, we almost got caught thanks to my unprofessional sneezing, we barely escaped, and you’re _laughing_?”

“Yes,” Silver said as he continued giggling.

Espio crossed his arms and glared.

Silver’s giggles lessened, but his smile couldn’t be erased, “I’m sorry, it’s just that your sneeze was so… cute!”

Espio uncrossed his arms and blushed, “W-What?”

“It was like… a squeak! I’ve never heard a guy sneeze like that before. Heh, you know, even I thought we were goners! But I wasn’t going to let some stranger ruin our first date so I acted accordingly.”

“I-It’s not my fault!” denied Espio, “and I hate sneezing – it’s disgusting, it’s undignified, and it ruins my focus!”

“But you were cute doing it,” chuckled Silver.

“Silver!” Espio snapped. Silver flinched, then pouted. When he saw Espio sigh, he felt himself relax. “Thank you.”

“Huh?”

“For saving my… o-our lives back there,” Espio stammered.

Silver blinked a few times and smiled back, “No problem!” 

The couple sat down on the grass and gazed at the clouds for a moment, savouring the brief silence.

“Some date, huh?” said Silver

“Yeah.” 

“I don’t know about you, but I enjoyed it.”

“Really?” asked Espio.

“Well, yeah! I normally don’t like going on dangerous missions; I do it because I have to… because I want to keep my world safe. But today, I enjoyed it simply because you were there with me,” Silver confessed.

Espio turned scarlet, and flashed an endearing smile, “Is that so?”

“Mhm.”

“I don’t really like mercenaries. I don’t like the idea of not catching the culprit. And I don’t like keeping investigations unresolved. But the whole ‘being with you’ part, I… I actually quite liked it.”

It was Silver’s turn to blush at this point. He placed his hand over Espio’s and intertwined with his fingers. “That’s all I needed to know.”

* * *

There was also their first argument, where Espio would argue about Silver’s constant need to sacrifice himself for others’ safety and happiness. It was a risky mission for Silver, more dangerous than the rest he’s ever been, only this time, he chose to go in alone. When Espio insisted to go with him, Silver denied this, saying Espio could die in battle. When the chameleon questioned the hedgehog’s fate, Silver brushed it off, as if his life didn’t matter. When Espio tried to talk him out of it, Silver continued to be selfish by choosing to take his life for granted by sacrificing it. The argument quickly escalated into a fight, when Espio stepped in front of Silver with ninja stars between his fingers.

“I can’t let you do this alone!”

“Yes I can so stay- “ using his ESP, Silver grabbed Espio and tossed him aside, “—out of this!”

Espio rolled to his feet and shoved Silver back in one swift motion. “Do you know how childish you’re being right now? You’re. Not. Going!”

“I don’t care, Espio! I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the world safe.” Noticing a nearby barrel, he took control of it and tossed it as Espio before making his escape. Deep down he prayed Espio would destroy it, as he never meant to hurt him.

Espio sensed this and quickly cut the barrel in half with a kunai (somehow). Then he kicked the smaller half onto Silver, knocking the hedgehog on his back. As quickly as he could, he latched himself on top of Silver to keep him pinned down. “There’s always another way around! I can’t let you risk your life – you’re too important!”

“How!?” Silver exclaimed during his struggle to break free, “I’m not from your timeline. I’m not even born here yet, so it wouldn’t matter if I died in the present knowing where I’m from!”

“Silver, you don’t know that!”

Silver growled. He didn’t want to take his power out on Espio any further, so he bucked his hips, bringing Espio down on him, and used this to switch their positions so that Silver was now on top, “That’s enough! I know enough to know that the future will be safe with or without my sacrifice, and---”

“**Stop being selfish!**”

Silver flinched at Espio’s sudden outburst. Within a minute, nothing was heard except their panting and Espio’s sudden coughs and sobs.

“Did you ever think about how Blaze would feel if you left her? Or Sonic? Tails? Amy? _Everyone!? _We’ll all be devastated without you! So what if you’re born hundred of years from now, you won’t even remember us, hell, you might not even meet us! And even if you did, I do not want to fall in love with you all over again knowing how it’ll end.

“No matter when you die, I’ll be heartbroken. Blaze will be heartbroken. Your friends will feel devastated! And if your sacrifice doesn’t work, then it’ll only give us more grief.”

Silver’s heart stung at his words. Could it be that he was being selfish and selfless at the same time? He didn’t want to think about how everyone else would react if he died. He only cared about the outcome of the world, he only cared about peace. He only cared about people’s happiness, with the exception of himself being one of the reasons for it. Espio turned his head to his side and covered his tear-soaked eyes.

“Life is a gift, Silver. Please don’t throw it away. If you’re so worried about how I feel about this right now, then think about how I would feel if I found out you… you…” Espio finally lost it and wept bitterly.

Silver suffered from severe depression, but he was very good at hiding it well. But not this time. He loosened himself from the chameleon beneath him and pulled him up to embrace him, allowing him to dampen his fur with his tears. He had never seen Espio cry, especially not like this. That was another first for them, as he too started to weep with guilt.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

The couple stayed this way for a few minutes. When the tearful moment ceased, Silver apologized once more, before getting punched on the cheek by the ninja.

“Screw you, you sacrificial idiot!”

Silver chuckled in response, then giggled when he felt his lover peck his sore cheek. He suddenly felt a call emanating from his golden wristband. Upon answering it, he heard Sonic’s voice over the line.

“_Silver! Where are you? Vector told me you were going on a dangerous mission by yourself!_” Sonic exclaimed.

“_You can’t go alone, Silver!”_ he heard Blaze cry, “_If no one is with you then we’ll come find you!”_

“No, it’s okay, Blaze,” said Silver. “Espio’s here, and I’m not going without him.”

Espio blinked in surprise.

“_Oh thank the stars! Good luck out there. If you need any assistance then please contact me right away,_” said Blaze.

“I will, Blaze, I promise.”

“_Take care_.”

When the communicator beeped to its silence, Silver took Espio’s hand and carried them both to their feet. “Come on, we better go.”

Espio nodded, “Right.”

As they walked off, Silver gasped when he saw Espio suddenly cling to his arm. 

“Es…? You okay?”

“Yes, why? Can’t a guy hold on to his lover?”

“Well, yes, it’s just that it always feels new to see you do that,” chuckled Silver.

“I-I know.”

“Heh, I guess that means we both argued for nothing since Sonic and Blaze ended up contacting us anyway.”

“Perhaps,” Espio sighed, “but knowing you, I doubt you’ll listen to them. You might have hung up on them even.”

Silver pouted, “I hate it when you’re right.”

* * *

And lastly, there was their first time being intimate with each other. Silver was curious, yet naïve, while Espio was mature yet inexperienced. Neither of them knew what they were doing, despite the amount of research and advice they were given. But every moment of passion was worth it, and Silver decided to top this one. Despite having an idea on what intimacy felt like, Espio remained shy and insecure throughout, often denying his pleasures felt by Silver’s explorations. Eventually he opened up, encouraging his lover to keep kissing him here or to keep touching him there. 

Because their reproductive anatomy was slightly different, Espio felt even more insecure. Silver didn’t mind in the least. He continued in hopes he could take Espio’s mind off any thoughts of self-doubt, and boy did that work. From beginning to end, Espio and Silver were lost in ecstasy. Before it was over, pleasure and frustration overwhelmed Espio, to the point where he would ask how the heck Silver even knew where his weak spots were or how he was able to treat him right the first time. The answer was simple.

“Because I love you, Espio.”

And… it was over. They were both too tired to care about how messy they looked, and drifted away in each other’s arms. 

Oh, and here’s another first: it was also Silver’s first time waking up _before_ Espio. Oftentimes, the ninja would be found meditating outside, training by himself, or making breakfast. This time, he was still sound asleep next to the awoken hedgehog. Silver planted a soft kiss on Espio’s forehead before making his way to the bathroom. Espio woke up half an hour later, pondering his sore hips and tardy awakening. He panicked at first when he realized what caused it, but later felt at ease knowing it was done with someone he cherished. Deep down he thought,

‘There’s a first time for everything…’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> F and G were submitted simultaneously. That's another first right there!


	7. Gossip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A hedgehog sleepover and Shadow is invited? Whoa... 
> 
> Or maybe Sonic forced him to come somehow.  
Contains a bit of nostalgia about how Silver and Espio met, and how his hedgehog friends react to their encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried keeping them in character, minus the Espilver of course.

* * *

**G - Gossip**

* * *

It was another evening with Shadow, Amy, Sonic and Silver. Sonic invited them over to a hedgehog-only sleepover. Yes, somehow Shadow accepted the invite, and boy did he regret it. The rest of the night was filled with some nostalgic stories such as how their adventures began or how they met someone who later became a huge part of their lives.

“And that’s how Sonic and I met,” Amy finished.

“That was lame,” Shadow commented, “The only good part about it was seeing Sonic get frustrated.”

“And somehow it was worth it,” Silver giggled. 

“Agreed. I never thought I’d say it, but I’m glad I found the right time to ask Amy out,” confessed the blue hedgehog.

“Aw, Sonic!” Amy pulled her boyfriend in and kissed his cheek.

“If that’s your way of making me throw up on Sonic’s carpet, then it’s working, Amy,” retorted the ebony hedgehog.

“Oh can it already, Shadow! So Silver, do you have any stories to tell us?” Amy asked.

“Yeah. I’d like to know how you met Espio,” Shadow suggested.

“Espio? Why him?” Silver asked.

“Why not? The guy’s cool. You must be one lucky hedgehog,” Shadow snickered.

“Heh, wait, really?” Silver stammered, his face flushed.

“Oooh, someone admires the ninja detective!” Amy teased.

“I-I do not!” Silver protested, his face tinting even more.

“The face of humiliation. You just made my night, Silver,” teased Shadow.

“So how exactly did you and Espio meet anyway?” asked Sonic, “I mean how can I forget you two after you _stole_ those rings from me and Tails.”

“My ESP was drained and I needed rings!”

“Wait, so Espio went out of his way, and broke his code of honor just to save your life?” Shadow asked astonishingly.

“Well, yeah,” Silver blinked, “Wait, what Code of Honor?”

“You didn’t know?” Shadow said, “Espio hates stealing – he said it was dishonourable, and I agree. So you’re telling me he stole those rings for you and he didn’t even complain?”

“Uh, yes?”

“That is so sweet of him!” Amy swooned.

“Totes, Silver,” Sonic added.

“Huh, I gotta give props to Espio for that. Not because of what he did for you – no offense, Silver – but because he outran Sonic and took his rings. Impressive.”

“Screw off, Shadow!” Sonic shouted, then turned back to Silver, “So, how did you two meet?”

“Heh, w-well, it wasn’t exactly on a good note. We didn’t trust each other at first. He stalked me and I---”

“Oooh, that’s gotta mean something,” teased Amy.

“A-Amy!”

“Sorry...”

“Anyway, he knew I was the leading suspect in his chao theft investigation, therefore Vector sent him to spy on me, and failed because I noticed him.”

“Yes, Silver, your senpai has noticed you. Go on,” Shadow interjected.

Unamused, Silver threw a pillow at him, and missed, then continued his story, despite the other hedgehogs’ never-ending teasing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Permanent cliffanger! Not sorry. XP  
Watch their story on Sonic Rivals 2 if you're clueless. :3  
(Yes their friendship is merely platonic in the game, but hey if fandoms exist then so do crack ships. Just don't be a douchebag about it.)


	8. Hack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We all know Espio's the hacker of his team. He may not be the best hacker, but he is able to crack the code on Silver's mobile every time the hedgehog challenges him.
> 
> The question is: would Silver be up to the task to get Espio's password right the first time?  
The answer is no.

* * *

**H – Hack**

* * *

If there’s one thing Silver hates about Espio, it’s that he always manages to hack his stuff: his phone, his computer, anything that involves some kind of combination to gain access. It wasn’t that Espio wanted to do it out of spite… Silver was the one who always challenged him. He replaced letters with numbers, numbers with letters, and even both with punctuation marks, and he still got hacked! And boy did he hate watching him succeed. But clearly there was hidden admiration, since seeing Espio get it right every time only proves his point that he fell in love with an embodiment of perfection…

Okay, that was an exaggeration… well, sort of.

Silver changed his password on his phone a dozen times, yet somehow Espio always managed to figure it out before his five attempts were up. But the tables were turned when Espio offered to let Silver hack his phone.

“I hope your observations pay off, Silver,” Espio teased.

“And what _if_ I get the password right?” Silver retorted.

The chameleon snickered, “You’ll know.”

It took at least five minutes for Silver to make one attempt. So far, he made three mistakes. The hedgehog overheard the slightest giggle from his lover.

“Would you like a hint?”

“No!” Silver quickly answered, “I can do this.”

He entered another password. No luck. It warned him of his last attempt before the phone gives him a timeout. Espio sighed.

“Silver, you’re never going to get it right unless you stop overthinking. The answer’s already there.”

“Wait, what!? Where?” Silver’s eyes began to dart in every direction, scanning the phone, the room, even Espio. He felt the pressure get to him and let out an exasperated sigh.

“This is hopeless!” he snapped. 

“Silver, it’s okay. We can try again later,” muttered Espio.

“I guess…”

Silver helplessly looked away from his sympathetic lover. He studied his pathetic facial expression on the mirror, and the idea suddenly dawned on him. Before Espio could take his phone back, Silver punched the sky, with the phone still in his hand.

“AHA!”

He inserted his last input onto the phone, and a sharp snap was triggered through its speaker. The lock screen faded, revealing the home screen wallpaper that was Silver himself. He glanced at Espio’s startled face and screamed at the ceiling fan.

“I DID IT!”

“Huh?” said a confused Espio.

“You told me not to overthink, so I didn’t, and I figured it out!” Silver exclaimed before doing a little victory dance, “Go Silver, go Silver, go Silver! Who’s a hacker? I’m the hacker!”

“You’re welcome,” Espio snorted, his cheeks flushed pale pink. 

“Thanks, Es,” Silver softly spoke, “now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to flaunt my victory in Vector’s face for solving something he couldn’t!”

The hedgehog returned the phone and shared a quick kiss on Espio’s lips before rushing to Vector’s office. Espio smiled and shook his head amusedly at the hedgehog’s childish antics, then stared longingly at his phone wallpaper. 

“You never fail to surprise me, Silver.”

To be fair, Espio’s password was pretty obvious. If Silver had not tried those password techniques, he would not have figured his out in the first place. 

The password was: 51LV3R

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess Espio will change his password. Good luck guessing it~!


	9. Idol

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a high school human AU! Silver sings his theme song for the first time, catching the attention of a few adoring fans. Little did he know that one out of his female fans was a guy, secretly singing his song in a voice he almost couldn't recognize. Unfortunately for both of them, Silver catches him in the act in one of the most awkward places imaginable: the locker room.   
This story was inspired by Pitch Perfect.
> 
> The song referenced is Bentley Jones' Dreams of an Absolution, but no lyrics will be mentioned. Yes, I know the artist's real name, I simply prefer to use his popstar nickname.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is absolutely no NSFW in this fic. There is a bit of nudity involved but it's not explicitly stated and there aren't any implied sexual themes here either... it's sort of a prompt that came to mind where: how can I write a story that has mature themes but at the same time isn't mature at all? This is what I came up with. Don't worry, this is meant to be a fluffy oneshot.

* * *

**I – Idol**

* * *

Silver had just finished debuting his latest song: Dreams of an Absolution, and everyone was thrilled to hear it. Sure he had fans, but everywhere he went, he always overheard people singing or humming to the tune of Sonic and Shadow’s theme songs, much to his dissatisfaction. Silver always caught the attention of fangirls here and there, and would often run up to him demanding selfies unless Blaze was around to help him back them off. But then, something new happened.

Silver rarely stayed after school, but when he finally finished perfecting a mandatory gymnastics routine, he wearily headed to the showers to freshen up. That was where he heard someone… someone was… singing his song?

The rest of the cubicles were empty, and he was the only one in the room besides Silver. When Silver made his way near the cubicle, the singing stopped, and all he heard was the crisp sound of shower droplets splashing against the tiles. Disappointed, he hung his towel over his stall and undressed himself. The moment he heard this mystery person’s shower door opened, Silver peeked over his door, only to find that his admirer had already fled. Silver grunted, whoever that is, I’ll find him.

Silver had a plan since that dusk: he stayed after school everyday just to find out who this secret admirer is. His second time wasn’t so lucky, when he entered the showers early only to be dragged away by Sonic once he was finished. The locker room was full of boys, so finding the culprit was impossible at that point. But he knew his secret admirer was in sight somewhere after he found a CD with his song, and his face, on it. Obviously he couldn’t take it knowing there are witnesses.

His third time had evidence, where he completed his homework in the locker room while waiting for his secret admirer. Sure enough, someone stepped in. It was Espio, a classmate he once worked on a project with a month ago. The purple-haired boy noticed Silver’s presence and put down his bag.

“The library isn’t closed, you know,” Espio commented.

“True, but it was too crowded so I decided to do my school work here,” excused Silver. The long-haired boy closed his laptop and carried his bag. “But since you’re here, I’ll just take my leave.”

“Whoa, hey, I’m sorry. I-I wasn’t trying to kick you out or anything, I was just curious,” halted Espio.

“Nah, it’s not that,” Silver chuckled, “I’m just concerned the steam will fog up my computer.”

The couple shared brief fits of laughter, and stared at each other with awkward smiles.

“So… how often do you stay after school?” asked the silver-haired transfer student.

“For a while, I guess. I do mixed martial arts after school. Why do you ask?” Espio answered.

“N-No reason!”

“Uh-huh… and what gave you the idea to suddenly stay after school today? Normally, you leave early.”

Silver blushed lightly, “Oh… you noticed that?” 

“Y-Yeah, I mean,” Espio paused, hunching his shoulders for a moment then relaxing them, “With hair like that, you’re not that hard to ignore, w-which is a good thing! C-Cause you look cool, and I like your hair…”

“R-Really? Heh, thanks. I-I should go,” said Silver, shyly. “Sit with me at lunch tomorrow?”

Espio blushed, “I, uh…”

“Great! It’s a date. See ya!” Silver half-lied before running out of the locker room in the blink of an eye. Espio sighed with relief and went in the cubicle. A few minutes later, Silver opened the door using his ESP and slowly inched near the shower room, and sure enough he heard it again! Only this time, it was faint humming.

‘_Espio… idolizes me?’_ Silver thought to himself. Suddenly, the sudden burst of the door broke him out of his thoughts, forcing him to hide inside one of the closed stalls. It was his P.E. teacher, Vector and that little boy that annoys him a lot… Charmy, was it? The humming quickly ceased and his not-so-secret admirer exited the stall with a towel around his slender waist. Silver quietly backed himself against the wall and blushed. He wanted to break out and scream at him with excitement. He never even knew he had a male fan! And it was one of his friends, too. Not to mention, he did have a crush on the boy since they first met. Never did he expect the guy to admire him that much. Thanks to this discovery, he knew exactly what to do the day after.

This was it, the time to make a move and prove once and for all that Espio really was his secret fan. Unfortunately his day had other plans, where he was asked to stay behind by Vector in order to complete his gymnastics routine for grading. Everyone else took so long, they ran behind schedule. Those who finished after class ended left one-by-one, leaving Silver as the last one chosen to perform. His hopes faded when he realized it was already five-thirty. _Espio probably left ten minutes ago…_

Sure enough, he was right when he was the only one inside the locker room. He stepped in the shower, wearing his birthday suit, and switched on the knob. His thoughts ignored the sudden creaking of the locker room door. No neutral sound was enough to break Silver from his current state of mind filled with disappointment and loneliness.

And then, right through the noisy sound of the shower raining down on him, he heard the same male voice singing his song. Despite the volume being faint, Silver knew it was his. Silver left his shower on and exited the stall. His feet hovered two feet off the ground and leaned against the curtain to get a confirmation of what may be his friend’s singing voice. For a deep voice, Espio sure can sing Silver’s song gracefully. And when he couldn’t strike his high notes, he would hum them instead, and it still sounded like music to the younger’s ears. 

Out of curiosity, and the lack of thought for the other’s privacy, Silver drew back the curtain.

“I knew it was you!”

Espio flinched violently and turned his head sideways, meeting Silver’s shocked expression halfway.

“S-Silver!? What are you doing in here!? Get out!”

“But I just wanted to hear you sing! You’d never sing for me if I asked,” Silver continued.

“Are you going to ignore the fact that you walked IN on me taking a shower right now!?” Espio snapped.

Silver scanned both their bodies and shrugged, “We’re both guys here.”

“T-That’s not the problem!” Espio cried. His body faced the wall where the shower head stuck. He wanted to kick the younger boy out, run away, and drop out of school so he can move to a new one. _Dammit, the one time I try to mask my singing voice in the noise of the shower,_ he wailed inwardly.

“Please, Espio! I just want to hear you sing,” Silver pleaded.

“B-But if someone else hears—”

“Everyone’s gone, I checked.”

“Y-You’re here!”

“So? You’re singing my song so of course I need to be here! I can sing the chorus with you, if it helps.”

Espio’s racing heartbeat relaxed when he felt Silver rest his hand on his shoulder. The purple-haired teen took a deep breath and slowly sang the lyrics of the second verse from Silver’s theme song. While the other’s presence kept him tense, he also felt himself ease up with his company as if there was a hidden closure he never knew existed. Slowly, he turned around, trying his best to keep his eyes away from Silver’s, but not too far down to find any… forbidden zones. Silver smiled warmly and sang along when his admirer reached the chorus. He still couldn’t believe Espio was one of his biggest fans. And for once he didn’t get trampled on demanding autographs. This time, he was the one demanding something. He was Espio’s idol, or so he believes it. Once the chorus was finished, their eyes finally met.

“Heh, we should perform a duet together sometime.” After catching a glimpse of heat rushing to the other’s cheeks, Silver suddenly felt Espio roughly pushing him out of the stall.

“Okay, you heard me sing, now get out!”

“Oh, fine,” Silver sighed, “hey, listen, I… I didn’t mean to barge in like that. I was just curious.”

“…I know,” came Espio’s late reply.

“But I do want you to know that your voice is… amazing! I didn’t even know you could sing,” Silver commented from the other side of the curtain.

Espio blushed harder. “That’s your fault,” a faint smile formed on his cheeks, which he could have sworn Silver sensed, “you bring out the idol in me.”

It was Silver’s turn to blush back. He heard exactly what Espio mumbled despite the shower’s loud splashing interfering with their conversation. Nonetheless, he was too kind to comment on it. And it was at that moment he blushed harder at his current situation.

He was still naked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That came out sweeter than I expected. I thought I was going to write a oneshot where Espio is sick and Silver takes care of him, but that was too cliche, so I tried something a little different.  
Should I write more human! Silver x Espio?


	10. Japanese

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver knows one of Espio's many passions in life is Japanese culture... so he decides to learn it himself, starting with language.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is short but there's a continuation to it. ;)  
I haven't contributed to the Espilver community lately which is sad... not to worry because I'll draw them again at some point.

* * *

_ **J – Japanese** _

* * *

Silver loved hearing Espio rave on and on about his interests, the most redundant one being Japanese culture. He knew how much he loved the food, music, the festivals, the art, everything! Being a nomadic hedgehog, Silver expressed his mutual fondness for said culture. He talked about his favorite Japanese songs which, to Espio's surprise, formed another list common sub-interests. Silver recalled their date in Japan, enthusiastically rambling about how delicious the delicacies were. The two talked for hours on the subject. Their interests in anime were slightly different though. To Espio's surprise, Silver admitted to liking "shoujo", a genre which was introduced to him by Amy Rose. _That explains why Silver's always so sweet compared to other males_, Espio mused.

As for the language? Espio was fluent with it. And Silver? Well, all he knew were greetings, and simple ways to say "I love you." During their time apart, Silver took the time to learn, and put his skills to the test through a letter. While majority of it was in English, he gently stroked clear Hiragana and Katakana characters at the bottom, then finishing it off with his Japanese signature. He ran over to the nearest mailbox and slid the letter in. Silver stopped halfway, pondered for a moment, then pulled the letter out of the mailbox and into his pocket. His ears twitched at the sudden call of Blaze's voice and followed its dying echo.

Maybe he'll wait another day.


	11. Klutz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver is a klutz, and he knows that.
> 
> Espio is also a klutz. But he'll never admit that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to write more eloquently in this chapter. Enjoy!
> 
> This is not the second part following "J". This is a oneshot on its own.

* * *

_ **K-Klutz** _

* * *

That's Silver alright. He may be precise and flexible during combat and missions, but anything out of the question left no room for grace. 

On foot, he trips over nothing.  
  
When he speaks, his tongue knots itself.  
  
When he's not looking ahead, he bumps into a wall.  
  
But only with his lover was he the silliest of all.  
  
In public, Espio would occasionally get embarrassed over Silver's goofy accidents. Otherwise he thought of it as an excuse to laugh, smile, or even snicker, not that Silver minded. The adorkable hedgehog made no effort to make his lover smile. He was already good at that.  
  
The chameleon was dense with that side of Silver's personality. Espio thought he was just a slightly different hedgehog when the world was at peace, albeit he loves him the same.   
  
However, Espio often felt mortified every time he made even the slightest undignified responses to any given situation. The poor chameleon cheeks would burn a geranium hue whenever he felt like a burp in a symphony.  
  
Sneezing in a serene public venue? Embarrassed.  
  
Stumbling over a crack on the asphalt? Humiliated.  
  
Saying something misleading or out of the blue? Mortified.  
  
Luckily, Silver was always there to cover for him. The worst part is that Espio only felt so strongly against his actions whenever the naive hedgehog was by his side. Anyone besides him would force the chameleon to put up an unfazed expression followed by at least a couple of excuses when caught in the act.  
  
Thankfully, such acts are rare, given that Espio always displayed a proud example of grace and flexibility to complement his unique gift of celerity.  
  
After giving themselves a weekend of quality time, Silver was called by Blaze on yet another mission about a case against the Doctor. Their goodbyes were abrupt, but Espio wasn't having it.  
  
The plan was meant to be a rare sight, where Espio felt the sudden initiative urge to embrace Silver before his departure. Already more than a hundred meters away, the chameleon sprinted on his lover's tracks and instantly caught up with him.  
  
"Silver, wait!" Espio called. All of a sudden, Espio's cry was cut short when he felt himself miss a step. His eyed widened and his pupils shrunk as he started to fall forward.  
  
Silver's left ear twitched at the sound of his lover's voice and turned to its direction.  
  
"Espio!" came Silver's exclamation. In one swift motion, he abated the speed of Espio's fall with his ESP and rushed over to break his fall with his arms. After releasing his powers, Silver knelt on one knee with his arms supporting Espio's body after feeling the the light impact.  
  
Espio blush intensified. Not only did he do something so pathetic, he made Silver break his fall- a puny, idiotic fall that never even risked making a scratch when hit against the ground. Unwittingly of course but it was no excuse.  
  
When his eyes shakily met Silver's, all he saw was concern. There was no sign of mockery or anything that gifted shame to his questionable act of stupidity.

"Are you alright?" Silver asked softly. 

Okay, perhaps he was being too hard on himself.  
  
But to see the kindness in Silver's eyes and the short distance between them? Needless to say, Espio no longer cared about being a klutz... so he brought Silver into a searing kiss instead.  
  
So much for hugging him.  
  
Actually, he did that too.  
  
Confused with a shocking twist of bliss, Silver quickly gave in and kissed back, pulling his lover down with him on the grass beneath them. As for Espio, that kiss meant three things:  
  
_"I hate you for breaking my fall;"_  
_ "I love you, you stupid, stupid hedgehog."_ and;  
_"I'll miss you, so you better come back, you klutz."_  
  
The random moment of passion lasted more than a minute, and it left the couple panting. After noticing their current position, with Espio on top of Silver, the chameleon dragged himself off his now disappointed lover.  
  
"S-Sorry, I-I wasn't paying attention," Espio said in excuse.  
  
Silver shrugged, "I know. You were too focused on me you tripped over nothing," he teased.  
  
"Oh shut up..." Espio said while trying to sound as angry as possible.  
  
"Heh, nope! Besides I understand, so it's no biggie."

"That's what I love about you: you're always considerate of others without having the slightest idea of judging them. How did I get so lucky with y--" Espio realized where his open thoughts were going and slapped his hand on his lips. He could've sworn he changed in hue. Silver noticed this and chuckled.

"I should ask you the same thing."

"Sorry, it kind of slipped out," Espio muffled within his hands. 

Silver gently touched Espio's hands and lowered them to kiss him once more. "And I needed to hear that.'"

"Silver?" said a faint female voice. The figure came closer, and the voice became louder. When she approached them, she smirked. "Well, well, am I interrupting something?"

Within seconds, Espio put up a nonchalant front and chuckled. "No. We were just sharing our goodbyes."

"I see," giggled Blaze. "On your feet, Silver. We promised to meet Whisper and Tangle by the woods at noon."

"Right! Sorry, Blaze," Silver said as he rose to his feet along with Espio.

"No need to apologize. Do you want to assist us, Espio? We could use your stealth on our mission."

Espio raised his hand and answered, "No thanks. I trust your friend, Whisper, can take care of it. After all, my duties are with the Chaotix."

"Of course."

"We'll be gone a month. Are you free then?" Silver asked.

"Perhaps, but I make no promises," Espio snickered.

"Okay then, bye!" Silver gave him a quick kiss on the horn before running off with Blaze. Said kiss was meant to be on the lips, but out of haste, the hedgehog missed. Espio snorted at the thought.

"Take care," he mumbled quietly.

Man. He really is a klutz.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also I knew it was Icy's birthday days ago and I've been inspired to come up with something Espilver related. The previous chapter was mediocre so I wouldn't consider that a proper tribute.
> 
> This on the other hand is acceptable. For those who don't know, Icy-Cream 24 is one of my most favorite Sonic and Espilver artists yet and I look up to her works a lot. :D


	12. Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I could let L stand for many things: letters, lessons, luck, love, lust, lonely... why not use all of them? That's only part of what Espio and Silver's relationship is about in this prompt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter ahoy!  
Contains some implied themes so either go back or enjoy!
> 
> I apologize in advance for any errors you might notice.  
This is the second part of Prompt J (Japanese).

* * *

** _L - Letters and Lessons_ **

* * *

Silver knew Espio would read them eventually. During his extensive missions, the hedgehog had much to endure: his strength, his faith, and his hope of keeping in touch with the ones he love the most.  
  
Espio was one of them, someone he cherished yet had so little time to commit.  
  
To recap the events prior to this moment, here's how it started:  
  
After a long run in the business, Vector finally worked up the nerve, and the cash, to make a better life for Vanilla and Cream. Charmy, of course, always looked up to his boss and now had someone to bring the balance between his (underaged) job, and playtime with Cream and Cheese. Never again did Vector need to be pestered. As their time of cohabitation ensues, Vanilla offered to teach Vector about the basics of parenthood. It was no walk in the park, but as far as parenting goes, he quickly mastered one technique: being overprotective... not to mention observant. The detective could never see past a lie, even when it involved runts like Charmy. Speaking of the little devil, the crocodile also learned how to tolerate Charmy's rambunctious behavior with stern and the slightest hint of affection. That's an improvement to say the least!  
  
And where did Espio go? Well, it wasn't an easy plan to execute. But after a few discussions with his nomadic partner, Espio found a place where they can both call home. Not some abandoned business shed nor a bed of grass underneath a tree whilst exposed to the elements of flora and fauna alike. It was a simple house not far from where Espio worked. Sure it resembled an old shed, but he and Silver renovated it into a serene and independent homestead that was more than enough for them.   
  
Silver finally had a place where he could rest whenever he didn't feel like returning to the future - the present felt so much like home to him now; and Espio felt more focused and peaceful without constantly having to worry about the troublesome squabbles between his team members.  
  
While they did find a place to stay, Silver was often away - either back in the future or saving the future... or in the present without him. It was difficult to endure, but neither of them showed signs of it to anyone. But whenever they were together, they made every second count. From standing side-by-side amongst the crowd during the day, to taking timid yet intimate turns of showing their affection during the night.  
  
Unlike Silver, Espio was more formidable when it came to feelings. He had no problem concealing his emotions because he always sided with logic. But the idea of Silver's naivety worries him, forcing him to choose between the heart to reassure him that he'll be okay, and the logic to believe the hedgehog was more than capable of maturing on his own. In the end he chose logic, and offered his faith in Silver through spirit, whether or not Silver felt it.  
  
Whenever Silver stayed apart for too long, he satisfied his urges through writing letters for the chameleon. Espio was an exception for letters. Blaze was with him almost all the time, and he often runs into Sonic and the rest of the crew more than once a month. Even Vector was starting to become a common encounter for the hedgehog!  
  
As for Espio, he rarely sees him. But since their relationship began, Silver learned all that he could about Espio: what made him happy, where he went in search of solitude, his unexpected business hours, and even places that make his knees grow weak. It's little things like those which increase Silver's yearning to return home to his aloof lover. After gaining some advice, Silver found his coping mechanism by not only keeping himself focused during missions, but to write letters to Espio to update his endeavors.  
  
Unfortunately there's one problem with said technique: the more Silver thought about sending his first letter, the more he felt the urge to abandon his mission entirely. How ridiculous! What kind of protector would he be to come up with such foolish thoughts? Even he knew Espio would deck him if he admitted it. In the end he kept it, and wrote another. Then another. And another. The letters kept piling up until he finally had no room to keep one in that mysterious void behind one's back that no one knew existed.

But when Silver finally came home one night to unpack his souvenirs from his last mission, he made the stupidest move of asking Espio to keep his mysterious bag of disorganized envelopes hidden. Cut him some slack, reader, he's tired! 

Out of ineptitude, Espio unwittingly stumbled across each letter one-by-one. Once Silver caught him in the act, his entire body woke up in horror from a nightmare-came-true. After a brief arguement, with Espio demanding reason for not having a single letter sent, and with Silver explaining them like the dork he is, the couple were led into a small chase around the house with Espio carrying the stack of letters meant for him. Poor Silver begged him to get rid of them, but the chameleon furiously refused. The chase ended back to their bedroom with Espio's back facing the weary hedgehog.

"Why didn't you at least send me one? Do you even know how worried I was about you?" Espio argued.

"I already told you: I was desperate to come home and the thought of sending you even just one letter could've made me cross the line!" Silver answered back. "I really, _really_ missed you, okay? I even hoped you would have at least sent me a letter too... maybe then I wouldn't feel the need to go home all the time."

Espio sighed, placed whatever letter he had left in his hands, and turned ro face his lover, "You're right. I'm sorry. But that's the problem! You're almost never home or anywhere with me. I figured that maybe if I set my feelings aside to let you figure things out on your own, you wouldn't have to rely on my reassurance so much. I may not have written letters for you, but I was so worried about how distracted you might be that I too have been tempted to risk my time away from my team to help you. 

"I wanted you to understand that I cannot always be there to help you, but I should've realized how much you wanted to be close to me no matter how distant our relationship can be. As happy as I can be to see how uplifting saving the world makes you, I guess I...

"...Kind of asked myself...

"Why can't you spend more time...

"With me...?"

Silver's chest felt tight at this point. He knew Espio wasn't the best at dealing with emotions, but the confession took him by surprise it almost made him cry.

"Es, I..."

"N-No, that's not what I meant!" Espio suddenly blurted out, "I-I don't want you to be taken away the job you love most! Your future depends on you and I shouldn''t get in the way of that!"

Silver smirked sheepishly. He knew Espio would react like that at this point. 

"Forgive me, I-I wasn't---" 

The hedgehog closed the gap between them in a soft kiss. It started out that way, but when Espio protested, Silver grew more dominant to the point where he gently pushed his lover down the mattress. Espio eventually gave in and hummed as he returned the kiss tenfold. Silver broke the kiss then planted another almost mercilessly, pinning Espio's hands on the bed and lovingly intertwining their fingers together. Espio's tail twitched in arousal underneath, and the flickering of his tail against Silver's caused the hedgehog to shudder in pleasure. 

"I know what you mean," whispered Silver, "I know my maturity isn't quite there yet, and it's not easy learning independence when someone as sensitive as me relies more on his heart than mind, or others than myself, but that doesn't mean you need to push me away all the time. Before we became friends, I felt directionless on my own and you were always doubtful of who you can trust. But we learned to overcome that together in the end.

"If our friendship is that strong, then I believe our relationship is the same. I just wish we didn't have to hold back so much."

Espio chortled shyly, "I guess even after being together for some time now, we're still facing communication problems like this."

"I'm sorry for making you worry, Es. While I really was desperate to see you, I just wanted to catch up to you... to make sure we're equal, you know? I just don't want you to think you deserve better than me, so I may have tried working a little too hard to grow up quicker."

Espio sighed. Was Silver really doing all that for-- of course he was. He pretty much knows his common cliches by now.

"Tell you what, I'll do my best to keep in touch, whether it's a letter sent once a week, or a supportive glance during a brief meet. I'll be there, and I still believe you can overcome whatever holds you back from reaching your full potential.

"You don't need to grow up fast for my sake, Silver. Life doesn't work that way."

"I know but--"

"But what I'm saying is, no matter how hard life treats you, no matter how lost or defeated you may feel even when we're apart, I want you to close your eyes and remind yourself that I'll always wait for you. Alright?"

"To figure it out?" Silver asked shakily.

"With or without me."

"And you'll wait for me to come home?"

"That's a promise. If you're too far down to come back to me then I'll find you."

"Is that a metaphor or for real?"

Espio chucked, "Take it both ways if you like."

"Alright," Silver sniffled lightly. "Thanks, Es. I feel much better."

"Anytime. What are friends for?" Espio teased as he winked at his partner. Silver's grinned accompanied his blush and slowly they shared their third kiss of the night, resuming their long-awaited intimate session.

"I miss touching you," Silver cooed as he planted a few subtle hickeys on Espio's neck.

"Then touch me."

There came a long, awkward stare between the two. Espio realized how sultry his response was and blushed a deeper shade of crimson. He felt vulnerable now that he had given the hedgehog his consent. Silver snorted and kissed his shy lover's forehead, looking down at him with the same sensual hunger.

"Aren't you full of surprises?"

And the night was theirs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did Silver get so lucky? 
> 
> No seriously, how?


	13. Mother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver meets Espio's mother without realizing it... but after being told something that sounded out of context, Silver's brain went south for the winter.
> 
> Silver also stumbles upon a letter to Espio from his mother... (told in Espio's POV)
> 
> And lastly, Espio learnes not to challenge Silver in something he knew he couldn't win. :3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a bit of sauciness at the end. This chapter stands for 3 prompts: mother (mostly), matchmaker, and... well the last part has nothing to do with Espio's mom anymore. XD 
> 
> I'm strongly against incest therefore there will be none of that in this story. Silver didn't know they were related so he quickly starts assuming things instead of asking first.

* * *

_ **M - Mother** _

* * *

Silver noticed her while he was on his way to see Espio. She looked an awful lot like his lover too. In fact, she was the first female chameleon he encountered. He also noticed she was walking in his direction, so, out of curiosity, he followed her.  
  
Silver had no reason to sneak up on her, so he carefully ran towards her. "Excuse me, ma'm! Are you lost?"  
  
The female chameleon stopped in her tracks but continued to look ahead. "I should be asking you the same thing. I've walked these woods before."  
  
"You and me both," Silver chuckled, "I was on my way to see someone, and I guess I mistook you for him."  
  
The chameleon knew he told half a fib, but she remained silent, "I see. You must know Espio."  
  
The hedgehog blinked in surprise, "how do you know his name?"  
  
"As a Bride, I cannot say."  
  
Silver blinked.  
Wait.  
And he blinked again.  
What?  
Then he began to sweat.  
Espio is...  
  
MARRIED!?  
  
The hedgehog felt a tidal wave of negative emotions. He had so many questions for this chameleon, and so many ways to hurt Espio. He shook his head to endure his risky tendencies.  
  
"What!?" was all Silver could say as he felt his ESP seething with rage around him.  
  
Out of instinct, the female chameleon's hand cautiously went to her sleeve, which hid a kunai underneath. Great, the one time she chose to see her son by herself.  
  
"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?" she asked coldly.  
  
"More like what's gotten into you, "Mrs" Espio!?" Silver snapped. It was almost amusing to watch.  
  
Confused yet unfazed by the hedgehog's envious aura, the chameleon withdrew her weapon. 'Are all of Espio's friends this mental?'  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU BEING ESPIO'S--"  
  
"Mother?" Said a deeper voice.  
  
Silver's lips dropped and quickly turned around to face his confused partner.

"WHAT?"  
  
"Espio, would you care to explain the demeanor of this friend of yours? As amusing as he seems, I am abhorred," she said rather calmly.  
  
"Forgive me. He's not always like this. Please," Espio glared daggers at his boyfriend and dragged him by the ear, "Excuse us for a moment."  
  
\----  
  
"She's your mother!?" Silver exclaimed.  
  
"Yes, and I can't believe you disrespected her like that!"  
  
Silver's ears drooped, "I-I'm so sorry... I freaked out! See, I asked if she knew you and she said she couldn't say because she was a "Bride"!"  
  
Espio groaned, "Yes she's a Bride of the Shinobi Clan."  
  
Silver tilted his head.  
  
"Silver," Espio continued, "A 'Bride' is a female leader of a ninja clan.  
"We have four clans, and my mother is the Bride of Constant Vigil, the leader of the Shinobi Clan. In other words, my village."  
  
"So you're not...?"  
  
"No."  
  
"And I am...?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Silver already knew what Espio was going to say, and he knew the chameleon refused to finish each question. The hedgehog felt mortified, thanks to his lack of knowledge on ninjas and their origins. Silver sat on the ground and buried his face between his knees.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Espio! I really didn't mean to be rude."  
  
"It's okay," Espio cooed, "I would have reacted the same way if I was in your shoes."  
  
"My son is right," interjected Constant Vigil.  
  
"You heard everything?" Silver asked.  
  
"I only heard what I needed."  
  
"I'm so sorry," he apologized yet again.  
  
"You're forgiven. Perhaps, I should have introduced myself properly. You two seem really close after all, Silver."  
  
"We do...?" Silver asked, "And how did you know my name?"  
  
"Certainly. My son speaks of you a lot in his letters. Apparently you were the reason he turned down my offer to find him a suitor."  
  
"Mother, please..." Espio hissed as he covered his flushed face.  
  
"I don't want to hear any of that," scolded Constant Vigil, "You know how doubtful I was when you confessed to me about your relationship. I was very much concerned about how our bloodline can continue. But after seeing how caring and vigilant your partner is, I'm safe to say you made a decent choice - at best."  
  
"You... really?" Espio asked astonishingly.  
  
His mother nodded, "Indeed. The Shinobi clan is certainly being more open with outside relationships, though I have always been cautious of the outcomes of their trust and our village's safety."  
  
"I assure you that Silver isn't the type to go against anything peaceful in nature. He fights for it, and that's what I like most about him," Espio reassured her.

Silver's ears drooped in awe and blushed, "but what about your bloodline? Don't you want it to continue, Espio? I hope I'm not taking you away from that path." 

"We'll work something out. We always do," The chameleon winked at his partner, who blushed even harder. 

"Whatever plan you have for the future, Espio, you have my trust," said Constant Vigil. The elder chameleon turned to Silver and snared, "but if you dare hurt my son in any way, shape or form, I highly guarantee you will be six inches smaller. And that will be the least of your worries."

Beads of sweat formed uncomfortably around Silver's head as he gulped at her threat, but remained self-assured, "You have my word! We've been through our ups and downs and that's what made us closer. But I would never forgive myself if I hurt Espio on purpose.

"Neither would I nor the clan. Regardless of that, I trust you." Constant Vigil walked over to Espio's side and smiled, "I hope you know what you're doing."

Espio glanced between his mother and his lover, then flashed a calm smile, "I do."

* * *

Back in Espio's house, it was almost midnight, and the couple had just finished one round of intimacy for the evening. Espio laid on Silver's chest fur, cherishing the combined soft sensation of fluff and a racing heartbeat that no pillow can compare. Silver felt his lover's heart-shaped chest heaving against his, a slow temptation to initiating a second round. 

"Your mother sounds lovely..." Silver sighed.

"Silver," Espio panted, "I really don't want to think about that sort of thing right now."

"Too awkward?"

"Very."

"But just so you know, I'll never forget the letter you sent her."

Espio gulped at his lover's statement as his mind began digging through old, embarrassing memories without his consent.

Flashback

"_Espio... is this girl... meant for you?"_

_Silver did notice the letter addressed from my mother. It came with a picture of a female suitor she chose for me - a beautiful, elegant chameleon graced with dignified talents aimed to please other males in the clan. I remember the look of envy Silver had in his eyes. The look made me nervous, and it forced me to snatch the letter out of his quivering hands._

_"Since when did you start looking through my stuff?" I asked defensively. Silver said nothing as he watched me leave for work. I didn't look back. I had a case to solve, and I didn't want any images of Silver's distressing glare distract me from my duties. _

_I knew I had to act fast, or Silver will start overthinking again. When the poor hedgehog takes his negative emotions out of proportion, it almost makes him inconsolable. It's annoying yet worrisome. So, during my break, I acted accordingly. _

_When I asked Silver to meet me outside the agency, he eagerly accepted as if he was no longer worried about the letter. Knowing him, he was putting up a front to keep me calm. It's not working. Our conversation was shortly interrupted by Vector, who demanded certain evidence as witnessed by myself alone, with additional snarky comments about our relationship, which made Silver feel even more insecure. Hence I did what I needed to do._

_"Read this."_

_"What is it?"_

_"Just read it."_

_"Dear Mother,_

_"(...)While I am more than grateful for your concerns about finding me a potential suitor, I'm afraid I must decline. For I already found someone who loves and cherishes me as I do for him. His name is Silver, no longer just an old friend but now my significant other (...)"_

_I felt his eyes glimmer with tears of joy and a priceless smile making waves from cheek-to-cheek. It was hard to pretend I didn't like seeing him that way._

_"Espio--"_

_"Okay, so you read that right!? See what I got here? It's an envelope!"_

_"I placed it!"_

_"I sealed it!"_

_"I posted it!"_

_"That's my answer!"_

_I said altogether as I followed every action accordingly. Silver's shock grew as I continued, "Honestly, I'd never hear the end of your drama if I left you hanging with such news."_

_"T-thank you, Espio! You know, I was feeling doubtful of myself today and I started to think you really would choose that girl over me..."_

_This guy..._

_"Silver, I'm not that old-fashioned. And I have no reason to leave you for someone I don't know. You can't always expect me to be there all the time, so at least try to gain a bit more faith in yourself."_

_"I know."_

_Then he kissed me. Out in the open. If I could die from embarrassment then please let it be now. In the very least I should kill him for making a move on me like that._

_But it didn't. _

_I didn't bother._

_He spoiled me too much._

_ Flashback _

"Why did she bring that up?" Espio groaned.

"Hey, she really does care about you, Es," said Silver. "You have a family... something I wish I had."

"Silver, you naive hedgehog, you," teased Espio, "your new family is everyone who cares about you: Blaze, Sonic, Tails, everyone on our side really."

"Does that make you my "Bride"?" Silver teased back.

"U-Um, well..."

"Heh, just kidding," Silver giggled, "What about your bloodline?"

"I have my doubts about that for now. So until we cross that bridge, let's cherish the present."

"But what if--"

"I'm still not leaving you. I love you."

That was all the reassurance Silver needed. Maybe adopting a child won't be so bad in the future. He relinquished the thought as he pulled Espio down for another kiss, "so, you up for round two?"

"If you can make me moan," came Espio's sultry whisper. Silver grinned deviously and switched their positions with an intoxicating kiss. Espio gave in right away, but was too lost in their pleasure to care.

"I win. Any last requests?"

Espio blushed in hesitation, but his confidence in their lovemaking grew. He kissed the hedgehog and whispered,

"Make me scream your name, hedgehog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was awkward.
> 
> Also I get most of my brilliant ideas from Junjou Romantica. It's great and I can easily see Espilver representing the Egoist relationship.


	14. Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Silver's best friend is missing! He turns to the World's Greatest Detective Agency, only to find that the entire crew was occupied on a different case.
> 
> Or so he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Try to visualize this oneshot in black and white. This prompt was suggested by fearthylizard on Tumblr - go check them out! They post wholesome memes and Sonic fanart!
> 
> This one is way more G-Rated than T-Rated. I need to tone down the sauciness of this couple.

* * *

_ **N -Noir (Mystery)** _

* * *

It was a dead end for me. Blaze was captured, taken away by some ruffian into the woods. I tried to chase him, but his speed outmatched mine. The suspect hid his tracks and not a trace was recovered. I knew this was above me and I needed help, so I turned to the self-proclaimed greatest detective agency in the world: Team Chaotix.

When I stumbled across the agency, for sure I thought I was lost. All I saw was an insubstantial two-storey house in the middle of the desolate woods. I thought for sure my GPS was correct, and it was. This is the Chaotix Detective Agency? Talk about a scam alert! But I had no time for judgements. Time is my enemy, and Blaze needed my help. So, without another word, I rushed inside.

“Hello!? Anyone? My friend has been kidnapped and I need your help to find her,” I begged aloud. 

“The boss is out on another mission, but has left me in charge of the office in his absence,” said a deep voice. I looked around the empty room, and focused at a particular corner: someone grew visible in the distance. His skin was a combination of fair peach and fuchsia and his curly tail hovered calmly over the wooden floorboards. His eyes were as golden as mine and his very presence sent shivers down my spine. 

“I uh… suddenly realized I can solve this case on my own. Bye now!” When my gaze went for the door, a shuriken went past my face in a split second. I felt its wind and looked back to see the chameleon sternly staring back at me.

“I get that a lot and normally those who say so cannot get the job done. That’s why I’m here and I can help you.”

“I-I guess?”

“You said your friend has been abducted, correct?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Do you have any leads?”

“All I know is he wore a black cloak, had red eyes, white gloves, and a deep voice,” I informed.

“Hmm… do you know where he went?”

“He wasn’t far from this place last time I saw him. He was too fast and despite being so far away, I think I saw him teleport.”

“I see…” The chameleon rested a hand under his chin, then flinched, “I think I know who that is.”

“You do?!”

“Yes, and I happen to know where he and his team hide.”

I raised a finger but lowered it and frowned with doubt, “We’re both talking about the same guy, right?”

“It’s anyone’s guess, but I’m fairly confident on who the culprit is.”

“Who is it!?” I asked impatiently.

“Just follow me,” he said, then walked outside. Even the way he moves sends shivers down my spine.

“Hey, chameleon, wait!” I shouted as I ran after him. He didn’t stop though, so I had to walk his pace. “I didn’t get your name.”

The chameleon stopped and turned to me. He offered a hand and introduced himself, “My name is Espio.”

I smiled and took his hand, “Silver.”

“That seems fitting,” Espio chuckled.

“Likewise.” We both smiled at each other for a moment, but when we caught each other’s eyes, we turned away in haste.

“A-Anyway, you were going to tell me where my friend is?”

“Y-Yes of course,” he answered, “Follow me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If that ain't love then I don't know what it is.  
Any ideas for "O"?


	15. Opposite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vector and Charmy know how Espio feels about Silver... so they come up with a strategy to make them admit it. Little did they know an uninvited guest steps in to play their game.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one gets a bit intense later on but it's mostly funny. Espio really needs to learn to let go every once in a while.

* * *

<strike> **** </strike> _ **** _ **O - Opposite**

* * *

"Come on, Espio, just admit it: you like Silver!" Vector teased.  
"Espio likes Silver, Espio likes Silver!" Charmy added.  
  
Espio was so close to hitting them with the blunt end of his kunai.  
"Say that again; I dare you!" he snapped as he held a kunai in his hand.  
  
"Come on, Espio," Vector snickered, "Don't you know we're just--"  
  
"Reminding you what day it is!" Charmy interjected with his hand covering Vector's snout. Espio raised one eye with caution.  
  
"What, is it 'Annoy Espio Day'?" snarled the Chameleon  
  
"No, silly! That's next Tuesday," giggled Charmy, "Today is Opposite Day! Right, boss?"  
  
"You think I was born yesterday?" mocked Espio, "even Big the Cat knows that day doesn't exist."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't, but Silver does," Vector interjected. The chameleon remained unconvinced.  
  
"It would be unwise to lie to me, Vector, so think before you speak," Espio warned.  
  
"Aw come on! Can't you play along for once?" Charmy whined.  
  
"How many times should I repeat myself? I don't play games!"  
  
"Alright, fine!" Vector shouted, "but just so you know, Espio, we won't stop pestering you about Silver until you give us an honest answer."  
  
Espio's face grew red with fury... and something else he won't admit. His team was getting on his last nerve, and so were those painful feelings he concealed for almost a year. He puffed his cheeks to stifle his screams but to no avail. It's no use, so why bother, he thought.  
  
"For the last time: I DON'T like Silver that way!"  
  
Charmy and Vector looked at their ninja comrade unfazed, then they looked at each other and grinned.  
  
"We understand," Vector commented nonchalantly, "which is why we'll send Silver this tape recorder of your confession!"  
  
"What!?"  
  
"Yeah! Even Silver's been asking the boss about you for a while now so we figured he should know how you feel," Charmy added deviously before getting a fist to the helmet by the crocodile.  
  
"Too much info, Charmy!" Growled Vector.  
  
"First of all, where did you get that tape recorder?" Espio asked, "Second of all, what the heck are you talking about!?"  
  
"Oh nothing," Vector said while rolling his eyes, "and a REAL detective never reveals his sources."  
  
"Give me that!" Espio shouted as he reached up to grab the tape recorder, but growled when he missed.  
  
"Sorry, Espio, but you'll have to catch us first!" Charmy stuck his tongue out before zooming out of the agency with Vector. Espio gritted his teeth, then quickly chased after them.  
  
"Um, boss?" Charmy shakily asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"He's gaining on us!"  
  
When Vector turned around, he and Charmy noticed their death quickly catching up to them. It was impossible to evade Espio, especially when he's enraged. Charmy looked away in fear, only to see someone about to cross their path.  
  
"Look out!" Exclaimed the rambunctious bee. Vector looked ahead and skidded against the ground in horror at the hedgehog in front of him. It was none other than Silver the Hedgehog  
  
"Whoa! Hey Vector, hey Charmy. What's the rush?" Asked the exuberant hedgehog.  
  
"No time! Gotta hide," Vector quickly answered before jumping to a nearby bush with Charmy in his hand. Espio, who knew where the duo recently maneuvered, slid to a halt before the hedgehog he had been pining on for a while now.  
  
"Silver?" Espio asked casually.  
  
"Hello! I was just looking for you. I wanted to ask you--"  
  
"No time! I have two idiots to punish."  
  
Silver giggled, "Ah, I see. I saw your friends hide in that bush. Were you chasing them?"  
  
The chameleon's eye twitched, "Yes... they have something that belongs to me."  
  
"You mean this?" came Vector's voice from the nearby hedge. Silver and Espio diverted their attention to the bush and saw a hand erect with a tape recorder that played the familiar message:  
  
_"but just so you know, Espio, we won't stop pestering you about Silver until you give us an honest answer."_  
  
"_For the last time: I don't like Silver that way!_"  
  
Espio grew pale at the message. Those idiots are DEAD to me, he roared inwardly. The guilt ran deep within his soul as he met Silver's eyes. The hedgehog look shocked, yet unfazed all at once. Silver lowered his head and replied,

"I don't like you either."

The chameleon's eyes widened at his response.

"You're mean, foolish, ugly, and I would NEVER fall in love with someone like you!"

Espio was dumbfounded. Did Silver really say those hurtful things? He never never expected him to insult anyone on purpose... except Eggman. While he remained speechless, Vector furiously rose from the hedge and prepared to pounce on the unsuspecting hedgehog.

"WHY I OUGHT'A--" Before Vector could jump on him, Silver forced him back in the bushes with his ESP. 

After a brief moment of silence, Espio turned away. He wanted to run but it was no use. His legs grew weak as he knelt to the ground and covered his face with one hand in an attempt to stop incoming tears from escaping. It was at that moment Silver realized he made a fatal mistake. He knelt on one knee and rested his hand on Espio's shoulder.

"H-hey, E-Espio, wait!" Silver cried out, "I didn't mean any of that, I swear!"

Espio roughly pulled his shoulder away from Silver's touch, "I don't want to hear your excuses!" 

"But... I thought you knew..."

Espio turned around and snarled, "Knew what: how much of a cold-hearted jerk I am for you to hate me so!?"

"Um no, that it's Opposite Day?" corrected Silver.

"...What?"

"You know, that one time of the year where we say the exact opposite of what we--"

"I know what that means, Silver!" Espio snapped, "I mean, it's an actual holiday!?"

Silver snorted, "Well... no."

"Huh?!"

"Funny story," Silver chuckled as he continued, "I was just outside your agency a few minutes ago when I heard you guys talking. I wanted to come in anyway but then I realized you guys were talking about me."

"You were spying on us?" Charmy interjected before being pushed back into the bush by Silver's ESP.

"I was curious! They wanted to know how you felt about me, and I knew you would deny it if I asked," Silver paused to wait for a response. Espio opened his mouth to protest but realized the hedgehog made a valid point. The hedgehog noticed this and continued. 

"Then I overheard Charmy's idea of Opposite Day, then something about Vector recording your voice and you getting mad... I hid the moment Vector and Charmy ran out that door and saw you chasing them, so I went ahead to put a stop to it, with this idea of playing along, and here we are now."

"So you played with my emotions!?" Espio snapped.

"I didn't mean to," Silver muttered shamefully, "I got so sick of waiting I needed to know. That's why I decided to come see you!"

Espio blushed at Silver's confession, but asked cautiously, "Why do you care so much about how I feel?" 

"Well, I _was_ going to ask you out, but let's just say things never go my way." It was Silver's turn to blush. He turned his head to the bush he emerged from earlier and summoned a small disarray of fuschia flowers into his hand.

"Sorry... it was a bouquet. But somewhere along the way, clumsy ol' me tripped and I ruined some of them. So much for being charming," Silver looked at his shoes shyly and presented the flowers, expecting the best and the worst. 

Espio's heart pounded harshly as he tried to process Silver's actions thoughtfully. He regretted what he said to Silver, knowing he too had been playing with the hedgehog's emotions for some time by denying his feelings. What he's experiencing was real and far more cliche than his expectations were. Nonetheless it was too sweet for him to cringe.

"B-but I understand if you probably end up hating me for the rest of my--"

"No!" Espio exclaimed. Silver's eyes finally met his, and Espio gently took the flowers from him and held them closely to his chest. "They're perfect."

"Really? But i thought you said you didn't like me that way."

"No... I do, I really do! U-Um.. I mean... s-sorry. How do I say this...?"

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" Vector roared as he jumped out of the hedge. 

"Yeah, Espio! Tell him or I will," Charmy teased.

"BUZZ OFF, BOTH OF YOU! I'M TERRIBLE AT THIS, OKAY!?" Espio shouted. Silver couldn't help but giggle. They do make the silliest team.

"Can we go somewhere more private?" Espio mumbled.

"No need! We're going back to the Agency. This guy's gonna order us pizza to celebrate the victory of our most recent case," announced Vector.

"Annoy Espio?" Surmised Charmy.

"I was gonna say The Mystery of SilvEspio but yeah, that works too!" 

"OH BOY!"

Once they left, Espio groaned and rested a palm on his face. "Those two will be the death of me."

"You guys make a great team."

"Yes, admittedly."

"So... you were saying?"

"Oh, right... I... hate you too. Courtesy of Opposite Day."

"So outside of Opposite Day, does that mean...?"

"Yes."

After hearing Espio's remark, Silver grinned with excitement and tackled Espio into a hug, forcing the other to lift his arm up to prevent the fuschia flowers from getting crushed between their chests. Espio slowly returned the hug before getting swept off his feet and spun around twice by Silver. He yelped at first, then laughed alongside him as they cherished the moment. 

Somewhere nearby, Vector and Charmy recorded the whole thing before sharing a high-five.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> E: Wait so did you hire Vector to find out how I felt about you???  
S: No? I simply opened up to him and Blaze about it, then he told Charmy and-- hey wait a minute, VECTOR I TRUSTED YOU!  
E: At least it was worth it.
> 
> It was at that moment Silver never entrusted his secrets to Vector again.
> 
> What other secrets did Vector and Charmy uncover about Espio? I wonder...


	16. Protection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set during Sonic's absence in Sonic Forces: Silver has his first battle against Infinite, and nearly took his own life. Luckily, someone will always be there to remind him that even protectors need protection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some serious stuff going on down here. This was before Silver asked Espio out so they're just friends in this one. Happy Reading!

* * *

** _P - Protection_ **

* * *

Silver dedicated his life to protecting his friends. That's no secret. The overt habit undermining this beneficial trait is his reckless decision-making. They were life-threatening decisions yet the hedgehog seemed fearless. 

Thankfully, Espio was one of the few to remind him that his life wasn't worth giving up just yet. 

He recalled the rough times during Sonic's absence. When Infinite assisted Eggman's plot, Silver took charge in most of the missions. Shadow was on the wrong side, so it seemed, hence everyone looked up to Silver to fight the hardest. He recalled his first fight against Infinite, who lured him away to a demolished building in the barren city. 

They fought endlessly. Silver ignored any incoming message to focus on the battle. He can't lose. He was Mobius' last hope. Infinite saw through his weakness, and formed an illusion that nearly made Silver's mind break.

Everyone he loved was dead. His future was set to stone with no way to change the past. He had no way back and not a single heartbeat was heard. 

"This is what happens when the Resistance continues. Your friends will perish and your efforts will be for naught. Stand down. Join us. And we will spare your lives as long as you swear to obey us.

"We need your kind of power, Silver. You may be strong now, but think of the strength you've yet to earn if you gave this changing world a chance.

"So go on: just say 'yes'. Tell me where the rest of your allies are taking refuge, and our legacy will be complete!" 

Silver screamed in protest. His eyes were forced shut as he didn't want to look any further than he should have. He could not fight the illusion. He couldn't break free. His ESP weakened from the fight they had earlier. He refused yet he saw no way out.

Nobody was there to save him.

Nobody cared enough.

Blaze was in her dimension, protecting those who cannot be protected here, therefore she was out of the issue. He had no choice but to end it.

"No! I would rather die than give in to you!" Taking the last stand, Silver stunned Infinite using every last ounce of ESP left and charged at him with what might be his last battle cry. He broke them out of the illusion and slammed Infinite against the wall forcing the debris to fall on them. Infinite dodged the the attack once the hedgehog broke free of him and escaped. Silver, who became the victim of the falling debris, used all he had left of his telekinesis to push as many debris away from him as possible. 

His legs got crushed in the incident, and Silver groaned in pain. Infinite appeared before him, his hand preparing the final blow.

"I gave you a chance, Silver. You shouldn't have chosen so poorly. Now you fall, as all heroes must," came the jackal's cruel, deep voice. 

It was at that exact moment when a shuriken struck just inches behind Infinite before, detonating him away from Silver. A large puff of smoke followed, causing the injured hedgehog to cough violently. He couldn't see, but he felt the weight of debris being lifted off his legs, and he was gently swept away by them. In one swift motion, they escaped, leaving Infinite furious, yet amused at their sudden act of cowardice.

The figure was none other than Espio. The chameleon sensed Silver's presence alongside Infinite's and told his troops to keep on fighting until he returned. Upon returning, he received a call from Knuckles, stating that his troops fell back ten minutes ago, due to the overwhelmingly large robots outnumbering them and Espio's lack of leadership.

That didn't matter as long as everyone retreated safely. Silver mattered more than anyone else right now, and he's desperately clinging to life. Espio took Silver to a more secluded building. After revealing himself, he laid Silver on the ground and noticed that the hedgehog was already. unconscious. His heart skipped a beat and he heavily pressed down the hedgehog's chest.

"Silver, Silver! Wake up!" he cried desperately. "Please, we need you! Silver!"

Being the first aid of the Resistance, Espio did every method he could to wake the hedgehog up. Tears streamed down his cheeks every time he didn't feel Silver's heartbeat.

Suddenly, an idea popped into Espio's mind. Using the rings he gathered on his last mission, he sacrificed every last one to Silver. Immediately, the rings gave him strength, and his heartbeat returned, causing Espio to cover his grin.

"Ngh... Espio...?" Silver moaned. "Am I dead?"

Espio wrapped his arms around Silver and pressed their bodies together tightly.

"Yes... yes you are."

"But... I don't understand. Where's Infinite? Did I defeat him?" Silver asked hastily.

"Not even close. Silver, what were you thinking!?" Espio snapped.

Silver saw Espio's tears and his expression softened. He placed his injured hand on Espio's cheek and wiped a tear away. 

"I'm sorry... he trapped me in an illusion and tried to break me. I was just trying to protect everyone.

"I at least wanted to protect you."

Espio leaned in towards Silver's hand and cherished the sensation of his friend's beating pulse against his cheek.

"Silver, if you're so busy trying to protect us, then who's there to protect you?" Espio said. "You helped unite us to win this war, therefore we're supposed to work as a team. If you want to keep fighting and risk your life for us then go for it... but at least give someone the chance to defend you because we _need _you, Silver!"

"I need you. So please don't give up on your life, because you can't get it back." Espio finished. "Stay here. I'll check to see if it's safe, then I'll take us back to the Resistance."

As the chameleon left, Silver was left swayed by his words of encouragement. Someone does care about him! His heart skipped a beat when he found out he died. He recalled Espio's words, about not getting a second chance in life, and shook his head.

"_If only you knew..._

_"your protection..._

_"gave me another chance to keep going._"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear struggling reader,
> 
> Life's hard. It's bitter and cruel. This story was written for you, to remind you that there will always be someone who cares about you. Choosing to be wicked in order to cope is never a good option. Always be kind but also allow others to be kind to you.
> 
> They value your life just as much as you value theirs.
> 
> Have a wonderful day!!!
> 
> Sincerely,  
someone who supports your tough journey

**Author's Note:**

> Reader: That's it? I've been bamboozled! *throws a chair*


End file.
